1. General Help Concept

Dear visitor, welcome to SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers. If this is your first visit here, please read the Help. It explains how this page works. You must be registered before you can use all the page's features. Please use the registration form, to register here or read more information about the registration process. If you are already registered, please login here.

1. General Help Concept

This website offers a clear, simple and concise usage concept, with the use of continued elements (buttons, menus and symbols) thus simplifiying the site usage and, simultaneously, provides a secure feeling whilst using this page. The usage elements are so designed that they will always be shown in their respective places at all times. The following sections describe some of the important elements that make up this site.

Please remember that some, if not all of the features of this site may or may not be available to you depending on site registration and on the restrictions that have been imposed by the site administrator.

Page-Header

The Header area for every page of this site, where usually a logo and/or the title is displayed, is used as a clickable reference link to the start page. Further along the page header is the interactive search facility. By clicking inside the search field, an extra menu will appear for "Extended Search Options" to provide a more practical search function and thus providing users with a more adaptable search facilty.

Menus

In the header area of the page are two menu sections. The first menu section is located at the very top of the header called the "User Menu" which refers to the "Personal Area". The second menu section is located directly under the header logo called the "Main Menu" which refers to the "General Area". Wherever the user may be within the page, both menus will always be shown in their respective places.

The User Menu: In the Personal Area, you will find the options to login and logout of the site, and links to several pages to configure your "Personal Profile". In this section, you have the possability to enter information about yourself and to customise the look of the page to your personal wishes. Additionally, when clicking on a user's name, a "Public Profile"will be displayed showing the relevant information of the selected user. Also included in the Personal Area is the option to send "Private Messages"to other members, or the option to choose a different style (If more styles are available). These are but a few of the possible options available.

The Main Menu: The buttons of the General Area can lead to the home page, to the members list and of course to this help area. Please remember that a variation of buttons could be shown which do not comply with this help section.

Display Elements

In many places of you can read information with the help of the text styles. For example, new threads and posts, or new private messages will be subsequently marked in bold to clearly indicate unread material. When you have read the new postings, the bold text will revert to its original style. In addition to this, some sections will display a quantity to indicate the number of elements that have not been viewed.

Sortable Tabbed Columns

With tabular listings, for example, the thread lists or the members, you can comfortably sort the desired information you want to see via the adjacent column headers for each tab.

Graphical Symbols

Many graphic symbols are employed to create a dynamic, intuitive GUI. Depending on the parameters set by the forum administrator, certain symbols are marked with a small black triangle pointing downwards. If you click on such a symbol, a context menu will appear showing further options that are available to you. If you do not see any of the mentioned symbols, then it may be the case that the option rights are not assigned to you.

"Breadcrumb"-Navigation

To help guide you through the pages, what is known as "Breadcrumbs-Navigation" is employed. Situated just below the header area of each page, you are shown a type of path which begins at the main page and lists the categories and sub categories, and ends at the current page you are viewing. Each element that is shown within the navigation is separated by arrows and, with each element havings its appropriate link, you will always find you way home.

Page-Navigation

Does a section of your site spread over more than one page? - For instance the thread listings, or the members list? - With this in mind, a simple and convenient page navigation is available for multiple pages and will dynamically alter according to the amount of pages being displayed. This navigation will be shown on both the top and lower sections of the page to provide additional assistance with page navigation.